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Leveson Inquiry: Tony Blair defends Murdoch friendship | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has defended his friendship with Rupert Murdoch, saying it was "a working relationship" until he left office. | |
Mr Blair told the Leveson Inquiry he had not changed any policies to please the newspapers owned by Murdoch. | |
He added he would not have become godfather to one of Murdoch's children based on their relationship in office. | |
Earlier, a protester had to be ejected after getting into the court and calling Mr Blair a "war criminal". | Earlier, a protester had to be ejected after getting into the court and calling Mr Blair a "war criminal". |
The inquiry is investigating press standards, and currently focusing on the relationship between the press and politicians. | The inquiry is investigating press standards, and currently focusing on the relationship between the press and politicians. |
"It was a relationship about power," said Mr Blair. "I find these relationships are not personal; they are working [relationships], to me." | |
He added: "Despite all this stuff about me being godfather to one of his children. I would not have been godfather to one of his children on the basis of my relationship in office. | |
"After I left office I got to know him. Now it's different. It's not the same." | |
Close interaction | |
Mr Blair admitted he had "flown halfway round the world" to Hayman Island, Australia, to meet Mr Murdoch and News Corporation executives when he was Labour leader in 1995. | |
He said he wanted to persuade the organisation against "tearing us to pieces". | |
Mr Blair said a close relationship was inevitable but also involved a "certain level of tension". | |
"If you look back over time there's nothing wrong and indeed it would, it would be strange frankly if senior people in the media and senior politicians didn't have that close interaction," he said. | |
The former PM said the views of the press on issues ranging from the trade unions to Europe had not affected his approach. | |
"I don't know a policy that we changed as a result of Rupert Murdoch," he said. | |
In fact the strongest lobbying he had received from a media organisation during his time in office was from the BBC over the licence fee, he told the hearing. | |
Mr Blair told the inquiry that, at its best, British journalism was the best in the world. | |
But he said the word "unhealthy" rather than "cosy" was a better description of the relationship in some cases between journalists and those in power. | |
He told the inquiry: "It's almost impossible now, even now, to dispute this issue to do with so-called 'spin'. | He told the inquiry: "It's almost impossible now, even now, to dispute this issue to do with so-called 'spin'. |
"I can't believe we are the first and only government that has ever wanted to put the best possible gloss on what we're doing, that is a completely different thing to saying that you go out to say things that are deliberately untrue." | "I can't believe we are the first and only government that has ever wanted to put the best possible gloss on what we're doing, that is a completely different thing to saying that you go out to say things that are deliberately untrue." |
Cherie action | Cherie action |
Mr Blair made a range of points in his evidence, including: | Mr Blair made a range of points in his evidence, including: |
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Proceedings were interrupted for around 20 seconds during Monday morning's session when the protester, who told reporters his name was David Lawley-Wakelin from the Alternative Iraq Enquiry, burst in. | |
Lord Justice Leveson apologised to Mr Blair and questioned how the man was able to enter the court through what should have been a secure corridor. The man was removed and an investigation was immediately ordered. | Lord Justice Leveson apologised to Mr Blair and questioned how the man was able to enter the court through what should have been a secure corridor. The man was removed and an investigation was immediately ordered. |
Mr Blair said on the record that there was no truth in the allegation, made by the protester, that he had been "paid off" by the US banking giant JP Morgan for the Iraq War. | Mr Blair said on the record that there was no truth in the allegation, made by the protester, that he had been "paid off" by the US banking giant JP Morgan for the Iraq War. |
The man was arrested on suspicion of a breach of the peace and is in custody at a central London police station. | The man was arrested on suspicion of a breach of the peace and is in custody at a central London police station. |
The former prime minister is the first of several senior politicians due to appear at the inquiry this week, including Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Thursday. | |
He is under pressure over the way he handled News Corp's attempted takeover of BSkyB. | He is under pressure over the way he handled News Corp's attempted takeover of BSkyB. |